According to WKBN Channel 27, Crime and Traffic Fatalities are down in Youngstown, Chief Robin Lees said the city has recorded 18 murders this year, compared to 23 in 2015. “We’re still a little bit down from last year’s numbers, certainly not where we’d like to be, but it shows improvement,” he said. Lees also said fatal accidents have decreased. He attributes the drop to the use of radar speed cameras. Since officers started using them about a year-and-a-half ago, there hasn’t been a fatal crash along I-680 in the city. The chief says the effort to reduce speeds on the freeway has also helped reduce overall car crash figures by about 25 percent.

Improvement is really all anyone can ask for isn’t it? Considering the challenges that many of us face here in the Mahoning Valley; any improvement is progress. There was a time not so long ago when This area was considered to be a very dangerous place to live. According to Wikipedia, In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Youngstown was nationally identified with gangland slayings that were often committed with car bombs. The town gained the nicknames “Murdertown, USA” and “Bomb City, USA,” while the phrase “Youngstown tune-up” became a nationally popular slang term for car-bomb assassination.

Although many of us do not think we can do anything about crime in our neighborhoods or communities, that is a fallacy. There are things everyone can do. First be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention and don’t be afraid to call the Police if you have suspicions. If you see someone swaying their car on the highway, Call 1-877-7 Patrol. Save the number in your contacts and that way if you see someone driving a fool, you can do something. The number again is 1-877-772-8765.

You can also possibly get paid for participating in identifying and reporting criminal activity. Crimestoppers has been around for years. And still is operating an anonymous tipline. All information can remain completely confidential and all you have to do is call 330-746-2583. Or click the link in this transcript and bookmark the page. You can send tips online there.

Here is one thing you should NEVER do. And that is get involved in trying to stop any criminal activity yourself. I don’t care how much of a badass you think you are; never try to stop a crime in process. Always let the police handle it. If you see a crime in progress it is perfectly acceptable to call 911. You can get yourself somewhere safe and take notes or use your phone to record details, but never try to step in and intervene. That is not your responsibility unless of course you happen to be a police officer or sheriff or trooper.

According to their website there will be a Golden String Radio Benefit. Golden String Radio is proud to announce Gaelynn Lea live in concert at Purple Cat productions, 220 W. Boardman Street in Youngstown on January 17, 2017. It’s a variety show the likes of which only Golden String can pull off featuring your favorite Purple Cat Players, Casey Malone, our own Jimmy Sutman, and our guest of honor, NPR Tiny Desk Concert performer, Gaelynn Lea!

Musician and public speaker, classically trained violinist and songwriter Gaelynn Lea has been bewitching scores of fans with her experimental and ambient takes on fiddle music, an approach that incorporates her love of traditional tunes, songwriting, poetry and sonic exploration.

Her work most recently won NPR Music’s 2016 Tiny Desk contest, a competition drawing submissions of original songs from more than 6,000 musicians across the country. Other NPR Tiny Desk fellows include: Ben Folds, Yo Yo Ma, The Avett Brothers, Blue Man Group, and Adele.

Gaelynn Lea has been playing violin for over twenty years, developing and improvisational style all her own. She has performed alongside many notable Minnesota musicians over the years, including Alan Sparhawk, Charlie Parr, and Billy McLaughlin.

Come out January 17th to Purple Cat Productions at 220 W. Boardman Street. This event is to be followed by an afterparty / meet & greet with Gaelynn complete with hors d’oeuvres and drinks at the beautiful M Gallery in downtown Youngstown. All-night tickets to both events will be available for $40. Tickets to the afterparty alone will be available for $20. Contact Coni at 330-503-2584 or coni@goldenstringinc.org Ads are also available for the event program for next to nothing. Get a full page ad for $50! A half page is available for $25 and a quarter-page for $15.

JingleBell 5K Race at Canfield Fairgrounds on Saturday December 31 2016. Join us to celebrate the holidays with the annual Jingle Bell 5K Run and Walk Saturday December 31 at 1 pm at the Canfield Fairgrounds. Kids Run at 12:45 pm. This is a family oriented event that benefits to Youngstown Road Runners Club Scholarship fund for YSU track and cross country students and the Youngstown Road Runners Shoes for athletes program. This race is on paved and mostly flat surface within the Canfield Fairgrounds. Awards to top three male and female finishers overall, 1st Masters male and female, 1st Grandmaster male and female and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each age group.

Race day registration begins at 10:30 am and closes at 12:30 am. Standard registration up through race day is $20.00. Kid’s run (12 and under) is $2.00 – included is participation award but no shirt. Package pick up prior to race available at Second Sole (755 Boardman-Canfield Rd., Boardman Ohio) Friday, December 30 from 5 pm to 8 pm or Saturday at the Fairgrounds in the Commercial Building. Please pick up at least 30 minutes prior to race time. All parking will be via the Kilcawley Memorial entrance from route 46. There will be door prizes and plenty of goodies to eat post race. Bring the whole family! Everyone welcome to participate. Bells provided! If you have any questions please feel free to contact them at Youngstown.jinglebell.15@gmail.com

Admission Buttons are $10 for Adults and $5 for Students (Age 13 through College, with ID), Senior Citizens (age 62) and members of the Military (with ID). Children 12 and under are FREE. Children do not need an admission button, but must be accompanied by a paid adult.

There are several FREE Parking Locations • Compliments of ABM Parking located throughout the city including: Stambaugh Surface Lot • West Commerce Lot (next to Cedar’s) • Chestnut Street Lot (located at Powers Auditorium) • The Voinovich Government Center Lots (Commerce Street and West Wood Street) and Ralph’s Parking Lot (Boardman & Hazel Streets) • First Presbyterian Church and • The Covelli Centre Parking Lot

WRTA will provide constant shuttle service between venues throughout the night.

There will be Event Schedule/Maps available at all venues throughout the night. The First Night Youngstown Event Headquarters will be located in the Covelli Centre during First Night, and any questions you have will be answered by our event staff. Admission buttons are available at all venues and at First Night Headquarters during First Night festivities.Restaurants will be open on Federal Street.

The Market St. bridge will be closed at 12 noon on New Year’s Eve to prepare for the fireworks display. Traffic will be redirected to the South Ave. bridge and the Mahoning Ave. bridge.

Many downtown streets will be closed around Central Square to provide for the safety and enjoyment of all attendees. Access to the parking lots on Front St. and Commerce St. will be open.

Wick Ave, Lincoln Ave and portions of other road in the downtown area have been closed for construction. They may still be closed for construction during First Night. Please allow extra time for arrival and be patient with the closures, they are necessary for upgrades to YSU and downtown Youngstown. Please call our Event Headquarters at 330-744-9966 and a member of our event staff will be glad to assist you. Or email infofirstnightyoungstown@gmail.com for more information.

This looks to be an event that will provide fun and entertainment of all varieties for the whole family. Looking at the list of events and entertainers shows there will be singers, dancers, arts exhibits, and Horse and Carriage Rides as well as a traditional Ball Drop and Fireworks. 13 different venues including OH WOW Science Museum and the Arms Family Museum.

Medieval to Metal will open on January 22 2017. This is a touring exhibition that explores the artistic evolution of the world’s most popular instrument. It features 40 instruments spanning centuries of craftsmanship and design from around the world, ranging from the Moorish oud and Renaissance theorbo to the acrylic body of today’s modern guitars.

The exhibition also includes 20 photographs of renowned musicians and their instruments from legendary rock photographer, Neil Zlozower, and life-size photorealistic illustrations of historically and culturally significant designs from artist Gerard Huerta. “Medieval to Metal” makes its stop at the Butler Institute of American Art January 22, 2017 and will be on view through April 16, 2017. It will continue to travel the country seeking a final resting place to be announced in the year 2018.

“Medieval To Metal: The Art & Evolution Of The GUITAR” is a Touring Exhibition of The National GUITAR Museum. The National Guitar Museum is the first Museum solely dedicated to the past, present, and continually evolving style, shape, tone, and artistic demographics of reinventing the Guitar.

I have always been a huge fan of the guitar. Electric, Acoustic, even Steel Guitars have always been one of my favorite instruments. I think it started when I first heard Jimmy Page play Stairway to Heaven. His opening arpeggio and then the incredible solo break took me away from whatever teenage angst I was experiencing and transported me to a place where I could almost understand what it is to be rock and not to roll.

The Youngstown State Athletic Department is has announced a travel package for YSU students interested in going to the 2017 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.

The first-come, first-served package is for current students and Fall 2016 graduates. The cost of the trip is: double occupancy, $150 per person; triple occupancy, $100 per person; and $75 per person for a four-person room. The price includes round-trip bus transportation, two nights lodging in Plano, Texas, and one game ticket. Meals are not included. The cost of the game ticket and transportation is being covered by the university.

To make reservations, students must call the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1978 starting at noon today with credit card information and a valid student-ID banner number. Only one ticket will be provided per banner number. The ticket office is open Friday 12/30/16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed on Monday January 2 2017. Students should provide the ticket office with roommate preferences, though students must call separately to reserve a spot on the trip.

The trip departs the YSU campus (behind the Beeghly Center) at 4 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, and returns immediately following the game Jan. 7. Those making the trip need to be at Beeghly Center at 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 5. Parking will be available in the M-90 lot. There are no refunds. The general-admission tickets are located in Section 121 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.

And now we honor the person of the Year for 2016 with the Mahoning Valley Podcast. We have looked back at the year 2016 to select and honor the person who made the most notable contributions to the well being of this Valley. And that person is Jim Tressel The President of YSU, Youngstown State University.

Let’s look at some of the things that Mr Tressel had a hand in to improve the lot of the population of the Mahoning Valley.

According to the YSU Website, Under President Tressel’s leadership, enrollment increased for the first time in five years and the university attracted it’s most academically-accomplished freshman class ever. In addition, the university revamped its development operations and hit record fund-raising levels, announced its first Rhodes Scholar recipient, reconfigured its executive leadership organization, froze tuition for two consecutive years and expanded its scholarship offerings. The university is also partnering with two private developers to construct new apartment style student housing on campus and is working with the city to improve major gateways to YSU.

Ellen and Jim Tressel made a $1 million pledge to create the Ellen and Jim Tressel Student Work Opportunity Endowment Fund at YSU, an initiative to help expand student employment opportunities on campus. It was the latest in an extensive list of fund raising and philanthropy activities for the Tressels. They also participated in the YSU campaigns for the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center, the expansion of Stambaugh Stadium and the Watson and Tressel Training Site. In 2007, Frank and Norma Watson and Jim and Ellen Tressel donated a combined $1 million to the YSU Centennial Campaign to help fund the WATTS. He also was co-chair of the $110 million campaign for the renovation of Ohio State University’s William Oxley Thompson Library. Along with his university fund raising, Tressel has also been called upon to lead many campaigns for the entire community and its needs.

Tressel has published two books: “The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life” (2008) and “Life Promises for Success” (2011). His lengthy list of awards includes the American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 1991, 1994 and 2002, the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2002, Chevrolet National Coach of the Year in 1997, 1994 and 1993, the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year in 2002 and the Sporting News National Coach of the Year in 2002. At YSU, he received the Heritage Award in 2008.

And while some of the most obvious contributions are financial, like the Watson and Tressel Indoor training site named after he and his in-laws made a significant donation, his in-laws say Tressel’s most lasting legacy is the lives of so many young men he has touched.

“He would always see that they did well academically too, football wasn’t the only thing,” said Norma Watson, Tressel’s Mother In-Law. “They made sure that he was going to have good citizens.”

“One function he’s always done was help them get that first job once they got through college,” said Frank Watson, Tressel’s Father In-Law. The investment into his players, has had a ripple effect throughout the valley. Inspiring former players, like Elliot Giles, to lay roots in the area and also coach the game. “He always gave back and that’s kind one thing I like to instill in myself, is give back to the community as far as my flag football league,” said Giles. “You never forget where you came from.”

Former players talk about Tressel’s composure and poise while under pressure, and say it’s a characteristic he instills in everyone he’s around.

“No matter what adversity the university may face in the future he’ll be able to handle it and he’ll get the people that are working with him to be able to handle that situation to work together and to overcome it,” said Former Player Chris Sammarone.